Thread-controlling mechanism for sewing-machines.



I. W. MERRICK. THREAD CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

1,1 29,827. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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APPLICATION FILE-D NOV. 20, 1911.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT @FFLIGFE.

FRANK 1V. MERRICK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 {THIGH LOCKSTITCH COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORRTION OPE MAINE.

THREAD-CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR SEXVING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915..

Original application filed September 19, 1910, Serial No. 582,599.Divided and this application filed November To all whom it may concernBe it known that I, FRANK W. MERRIGK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of lvlassachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful In'iprovement in Thread-Controlling Mechanism for Sewing-hllachines, of whichthe followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

T 1e in\" ention has relation to the devices which are employed inhook-needle sewing machines for controlling the thread which is suppliedto the needle.

The invention provides in improved mannor for the support and actuationof the thread-guide which lays the thread around the needle and into theopen eye of the lat ter, and for the support and actuation of thethread-finger or thread-hook which draws out the length of thread whichis to be pulled by the needle through the material being stitched inmaking the next stitch. The general objects in these connections are tosimplify and improve the general construction of the machine, and tosecure increased stability and durability. The machine is better adaptedfor high speed on different classes of work, and freedom from wear andbreakages is attained.

An embodiment of the various features of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which.latter,

Figure 1 shows in side elevationcertain of the parts of a curved-needlesewing machine having the said embodiment applied in connectiontherewith, the take-up arm being partly broken away. Fig. 2 shows someof the said parts in plan. Fig. 3 shows the needle and awl and theactuating mecha-' nism therefor, omitted from Figs. 1 and 2.

The present invention is a division of that forming thcsnbject of myoriginal application for U. S. patent for improvements inthread-controlling mechanism for sewing machines, filed Sept. 19, 1910,Serial No. 582,599.

Having reference to the drawings,the machine-frame is marked 1, and 2 isthe main or driving shaft.

At 3 is the work-support, and 4 is the presser between which and thework-support the work a to be stitched is placed. The Presser-carrier isomitted.

Serial No. 661,372.

the main or driving shaft 2 through connections including a link 21, ofwhich only a portion is shown in Fig. 1, having one end thereofconnected pivotally to an arm 20 projecting from one carrier-segment.The

said link is connected pivotally at its other end to an arm 22, Fig. 3,of the transversely extending rockshaft 22 mounted in the machine-frame.A second arm of the said rockshaft is connected by means of a pitman orconnecting rod 23 to a crank 24 with which the main shaft 2 isfurnished. As the shaft 2 rotates, the two carrier-segments and the awland needle mounted thereon are oscillated.

Whiter-ring, now, to the thread-guide by which the thread is laid aroundthe needle and into the open eye-of the latter, it is shown at 25. Figs.1 and 2. It is secured to a carrier-lever 536. I construct the saidcarrier-lever with an open huh-portion, shown best in Fig. 1, whichencircles loosely a collar 27, Fig. 2, that is sleeved loosely upon thetransversoly-extending horizontal needle-and-awl actuating rockshaft 22.The said hub-portion is swiveled to the said collar by means of upperand lower centerscrews 28, 28. As thus mounted, the thread guidecar'rierdever is capable of swinging transversely in the direction ofthe length of the roclrshaft upon its pivotal connection with thecollar, while in addition the carrierlever and collar are capable ofoscillating around the rockshaft. For the actuation of the carrier-leverand thread-guide a cam 29 is fixed upon the shaft 2, such cam havtravelin the required path to lay the thread in the eye of the needle. Inpractice, a spring, 2-6", acts upon carrier-lever 26 with a tendency topress the cam-follower 26 toward the bottom of the cam-groove.

At 30 is the thread-finger or thread-hook by means of which the lengthof thread to be drawn through material a by the needle in descent of theneedle is extended in a bend or h f It is secured to a carrierlever 31*v lCl'l is mounted upon rockshaft e the collar 27 with capagity to turnloosely on the said rockshatt ancl is actuated by means of an edge-cam32 on shaft 2, which engages with a cam-follower 31 carried by the reararm of the carrierlever 31. In practice, a spring, 31", acts upon thecarrier-lever 31 with a tendency to press the cam-follower 31 againstthe edge of the cam The employment of the needle-and-awl actuatinrierderers of the thread-guide and thread linger or threadhook provideseffecti ely for the secure mounting of the said carrier-levers in theproper relative positions with respect to the other working parts toobtain advantageously the cotiperation of the threadguide andthread-finger or thread-hook with the needle, slack-thread controller,and takeop, and dispenses with separate studs or pivots, The generalconstruction of the machine is simplified and improved, and durabilityand freedom from Wear and breakages are secured.

The needle-thread, as it extends from the source of supply, passes downinto the wax p'ot 33, then up to and through a tensiondevice 34, then tothe locking device, then to the take-up, and thence past a slack-threadcontroller and through the thread-guide 25 to the Work a.

The take-up consists of a vibrating arm 35 carrying two thread-engagingrolls 36, 36, and a cooperating thread-engaging roll 37 which is mountedon a pivot 38 upon the head-portion of the machineframe 1, the said roll-37 engaging With the thread at a point intermediate the points at whichthe two rolls 36, 36, engage therewith. The arm 35 is fixed upon one endof a rockshaft 39 extending through a sleeve bearing 40 in connectionwith the said head-portion of rockshatt 22 as a support for the carthethread between the grip-device and the Work in completing each stitch asit is formed.

The slack-thread controller is located betiveen the take-up device andthe threadguide. It comprises a fixed plate or rest 45 for the thread,and a movable plate or pressure-member 46 carried by a lever 47 which ispivoted at 48 to the fixed head-portion of the machine-frame, the saidlever having engaged therewith one end of a contracting spiral spring-19 having the other end thereof connected with the said head-portion.The thread passes between the pressure-member l6 and the rest or backing45, and is subjected to pressure between them, due to the action of thespring 4-9 in tending to turn the lever .47. The slack-thread controlleris so disposed that the portion of thread passing therethrough draws innearly a straight line between the adjacent roll' 36 of the threadguideand the thread-passage of the thread guide 25. It acts to hold back theportion of thread which is slackened by the giving up action of thetake-up, after the taking up action has occurred, but permits the threadto pass forward under suflicient control to the stitclrforming devicesas needed in the formation of a new stitch.

The thread-lock comprises a lever 50 and a bearing or rest 51 for thethread. The said lever is piv ted at 52 .upon the head portion of themachine-frame adjacent the take-up arm, and in such relation to thelatter that the thread on its Way from the tension device 34 engageswith the lever bcfore reaching the first of the moving take-up rolls 3G.The lever 50 is furnished with a laterally-extending threadgripping studor projection 50*, which is carried by one arm of the lever adjacent thepivot of the latter,- the said stud or projection being arranged toco-act with the backing or rest 51 in gripping the thread at therequired times. The said backing or rest is constituted by a fixed studor projection carried by the support of the grip-lever. The threadpasses between the backing or rest and the stud or projection 50 of thelever. The long arm of the lever has at its forward end a guide whichengages with the thread intermediate the gripping surfaces and the firstroll 36 of the take-up device, the said guide being at a somewhatgreater distance from the pivot of the lever than the gripping stud orprojection 50 When the taking-up action of the takeup device begins, thepull of the thread upon this arm of the lever acts with suflicientleverage and force to turn the lever around'its pivotal center so as topinch the thread by means of stud or projection 50 against backing orrest 51.

lVhen the pull of the take-up upon the thread relaxes, the pressure ofthe said stud or projection is also relaxed, and the grip pend thelocking of the thread while a taking-up action occurs, but have notdescribed the same, inasmuch as it forms no part of the presentinvention and is claimed in the original application hereinbeforementioned.

I claim as my invention 1. In a hook-needle sewing machine thecombination with needle-actuating mechanism including atransversely-extending horizontal rockshaft, of a collar sleeved looselyon said rockshaft, a carrier-lever pivotally connected to the collar andprovidedwith a thread-guide, and actuating connections for saidcarrier-lever by which it is swung transversely with relation to thecollar and the carrier-lever and collar are oscillated bodily around therockshaft and the thread guide thereby caused to lay the I thread in theopen eye of the needle.

2.'In a hook-needle sewing machine the combination with needle-actuatingmechanism including a transversely -extending horizontal rockshaft, of acollar sleeved loosely on said rockshaft, a carrier-lever having an openhub-portion encirclin said collar and pivotally engaged therewith atopposite points, and provided with a threadguide, and actuatingconnections for said carrier-lever by which it is swung transverselywith relation to the collar and the carrier-lever and collar areoscillated bodily around the rockshaft and the thread guide therebycaused to lay the thread in the open eye of the needle.

3. In a hookneedle sewing machine the combination with needle-actuatingmechanism including a .transversely-extendin horizontal rockshaft, of acollar sleeve loosely on 4 said rockshaft, a carrier-lever provided witha thread-guide, oppositely located center-screws by which thecarrierlever is -pivotally engaged with the collar, and actuatingconnections for said carrierlever by which it is swung transversely withrelation to the collar and the carrier-lever and collar are oscillatedbodily around the rockshaft and the thread guide thereby caused to laythe thread in the open eye of the needle.

4. In a hook-needle sewing machine the combination with needle actuatingmechanism including a rockshaft, of a collar sleeved loosely on saidrockshaft, a carrierlever provided with a thread-guide and pivotallyengaged with said sleeve with capacity for transverse movement, meansfor swinging saidfirrier-lever transversely and rocking thecarrier-lever and sleeve bodily to thereby cause the thread'guide totravel in the required path to lay the thread in the open eye of theneedle, a carrierlever mounted upon the said rockshaft alongside saidcollar and provided with a threadmeasuring finger, and means tooscillate the lattptr carr er-lever around the said rocksha In testimonwhereof I affix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

FRANK W. MERRICK. Witnesses:

NKTHAN B. DAY, EDITH A. WISEMAN.

